Public Attitudes Toward Government Accountability and Transparency 2008

In January 2008, the Association of Government Accountants (AGA) commissioned a study by leading market research firm Harris Interactive^®, to conduct the first in a series of annual surveys of public attitudes to government transparency and accountability. The objective of this first survey was to establish a baseline understanding of public attitudes, concerning transparency and accountability progress—or the lack of it—which could be tracked annually. A secondary objective was to use the survey findings to raise the profile of this important issue and help to drive understanding of it among policymakers, government employees and the public.

The survey was commissioned as part of AGA’s flagship Advancing Government Accountability campaign, which will educate government and the public on the benefits of increased government accountability and transparency and provide practical programs relating to the education of government financial managers and the reporting of government financial information. The survey findings are a significant contribution toward increased public understanding of the issue, which AGA sees as a vital jumping-off point for reform.

AGA believes that the importance to a healthy democracy of efficient reporting of government financial information is difficult to overstate. Without accurate fiscal information, delivered regularly, in an easily-understandable format, citizens lack the knowledge they need to interact with—and cast informed votes for—their leaders. In this regard, a lack of government accountability and transparency undermines democracy and gives rise to cynicism and mistrust.

This result is reflected in the survey findings, which reveal deep dissatisfaction among the American public with both the availability of government financial information and the way it is delivered to the people. Much of this dissatisfaction has to do with issues of trust and a gap between what the public expects and what is actually delivered. The survey also captured information relating to how the public would use fiscal information, were it provided to them in a usable form.

We encourage you to review the information attached to this first annual survey.

Questions? Contact Jennifer I. Curtin, MPA, Director of Public Affairs, AGA at 800.AGA.7211, ext. 340.

» AGA Survey Paper

» Verbatim Survey Results

Press Coverage

• A Clear Picture of Where the Money Is Going, Stephen Barr, The Washington Post

• Survey Finds Public is Disappointed with Federal Financial Disclosures, Elise Castelli, The Federal Times

• What Does the Public Think?, Max Cacas, Federal News Radio

• Government Accountants: Taxpayers Distrust Federal Financial Reporting, Mary Mosquera, Federal Computer Week

• Survey Paints Bleak Picture of Public Trust in Government, Robert Brodsky, Government Executive

• Traditional Government Financial Reporting Leaves Taxpayers Dissatisfied and Distrustful, Fox Business

• Survey to Lay Bare Taxpayer Attitudes to Government Accountability and Transparency, StreetInsider.com

• Taxpayers Distrustful of Government Financial Reporting, Accountingweb.com

• Uncle Sam’s Credibility Gap on Spending, Washington D.C. Examiner

• Survey on Public Trust in Govt. Spending, Interagency Ethics Council

• Public Trust in Government Bleak, Survey Finds, Park University ICCE

• Governments' Financial Reporting Not Open Enough, Survey Shows, American City/County

• Government’s Spending Credibility Gap, Washington D.C. Examiner

• Public "Deeply Dissatisfied" With Availability and Delivery of Government Financial Information, Government Technology

• Editorial: Uncle Sam's Credibility Gap on Spending, The Baltimore Examiner

• Examiner Adds on Government's Spending Credibility Gap, Democracy Project

• AGA: They Like Accounting and Accountability, Government Bytes, The Official Blog of National Taxpayers Union
• Commentary: Financial Reporting Fails to Meet Citizens’ Needs , Relmond P. Van Daniker, The Federal Times
• 71 Percent of Americans Would Use Government Financial Information to Influence Their Vote, Andrew Priest, Accountingeducation.com

Member Briefing Images

Richard Fair, CGFM State Auditor, State of New Jersey, AGA National President

Relmond P. Van Daniker, DBA, CPA, AGA Executive Director

Justin Greeves Vice President, Harris Interactive